C.R.E.A.M

Logan Maxwell Hagege’s “Desert Shapes.”

Currently on view at Maxwell Alexander Gallery in Los Angeles, California is artist Logan Maxwell Hagege’s exquisite solo exhibition, “Desert Shapes.”

“Some of my newest works I have been holding onto for about two years,” states Hagege.  He does this to see how they resonate with him after he’s been able to live with them over time. "All the artists I’ve loved have had an evolution in their work.  So I love that freedom of being able to do things differently, and just exploring more.  It’s that freedom that can give an artist their artistic soul.“

Most known for painting the Vermilion Cliffs region of Northern Arizona, where he has a home and studio, Hagege took a different approach for DESERT SHAPES.  He let his memories take the lead.  Though his outdoor studies and photos were referenced, the majority of the landscapes are painted from memory.  And imagination was used whenever possible.  By using this method to paint the desert, Hagege is able to fully capture the desert as it feels to him - unique.  Hagege sees the world and more specifically, the desert, different than us all.  These are the paintings that really bring us into his world.

People may think that the vikings were all about men and virility, but women played a big, if not bigger part than them in their society. For example, the Völur (singular=Völva), who were very important women. They were witches who always traveled with wands as big as walking sticks, which were burried with them at the time of their death. The name Völva literally means “wand-wed”. They were unmarried wise women and priestesses, that served as healers and diviners, and were held in great esteem. In fact, they were so valued that they could travel alone with no fear, and be welcome to any village or hearth they passed by. A clan’s chief would always let a Völva sit at the end of the table, showing that she was a higher authority than them. Of course, the Völur weren’t the only important females in viking society. There was also the Blótgydiur (sacrificial priestesses), and the Hóvgydiur (temple priestesses), who were devotees of the god Freyr, and were considered his wives. 

Village women were also very valued, and were in charge of the household money because they were believed to be magic and have the hability to see in the future. When a viking man mistreated his lady, she was allowed to cut off his genitals and hang them in her home. If a woman divorced her husband, HE would be the one shamed for being divorced, because he didn’t treat his wife right. Men weren’t even allowed to touch a woman’s hand if she hadn’t agreed to it or he would be punished by law. Viking women were strong and always ready for battle. In fact, a recent archeological discovery has proved that half the viking warriors were female. The remains found in burial sites were first misidentified and thought to be male skeletons, just because they were buried with swords and shields. But studying osteological signs of gender within the bones, reaserchers discovered that aproximately half the skeletons belonged to women, who were given a proper burial with their weapons. 

Hide and seek 2019.

So Pirates is down (shocking) And this particular boat is stopped at the first big scene, Where Barbosa is on the ship yelling for Jack Sparrow.

Anyway the boat has been stopped for about 15 minutes at this point, and there’s a couple sitting alone in the back. So the guy decides that nothing gets him in a better mood than the smell of water that hasn’t been changed in roughly 50 years, and convinces his girlfriend to blow him.

Now this girl is in the booth, along with the coordinator, watching this go down. Literally. There’s not much they can do to stop it at this point, other than notify security. Then another problem arises. The guy finishes, and the girl makes the motion to spit.

In. The. Fucking. Water.

Now if that load is released into the water, thats an automatic biohazard, and the ride is shut down for weeks. The water is removed, the ride path is scrubbed, along with the ride vehicles, and then new water is brought in. Costing the company thousands of dollara and pissed off tourists. The worst combination on this earth.

Panicking at this predicament, the coordinator grabs the mic in the control booth and says:

“Spitting is for quitters.”

This echoes over the bitching of guests and 50 year old audio of pirates commiting various crimes.

The look on this woman’s face was priceless. She gazes up, as if Walt himself commanded her from the grave, and swallows.

I’m told the ride started 5 minutes later and the couple ran out from the exit queue as fast as they could.